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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to family cost share provisions in the early childhood |
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intervention program. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter D, Chapter 117, Human Resources Code, |
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is amended by adding Sections 117.077 and 117.078 to read as |
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follows: |
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Sec. 117.077. DATA ANALYSIS IN FAMILY COST SHARE PROVISIONS |
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IN EARLY CHILDHOOD INTERVENTION PROGRAM. (a) In this section, |
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"cost-effective" means the family cost share revenue generated is |
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greater than total administrative costs. |
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(b) The department shall collect data, including data on |
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administrative costs and adjusted family income, sufficient to |
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evaluate: |
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(1) the cost-effectiveness of the family cost share |
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provisions of the early childhood intervention program; and |
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(2) changes necessary to improve the |
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cost-effectiveness of the program. |
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(c) The department shall: |
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(1) as necessary, modify the Texas Kids Intervention |
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Data System to accept adjusted family income data submitted by |
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early childhood intervention program providers; and |
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(2) require all providers to enter adjusted family |
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income data into the system. |
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(d) The department shall use the data collected under this |
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section to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of existing family cost |
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share provisions in the early childhood intervention program and |
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consider changes that may improve the cost-effectiveness of the |
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program, including the adoption of a family cost share provision |
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described by Section 117.078(a). |
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(e) The department shall implement any changes considered |
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under Subsection (d) that the department determines will make the |
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family cost share provisions of the early childhood intervention |
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program more cost-effective, if the changes will not make access to |
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early childhood intervention services cost prohibitive for |
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families. If none of the considered changes is determined to make |
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the program more cost-effective, or if the department determines |
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that the changes will make access to early childhood intervention |
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services cost prohibitive for families, the department may decline |
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to implement the changes. |
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(f) The department shall evaluate existing family cost |
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share provisions and consider and implement changes, if |
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appropriate, to the early childhood intervention program as |
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required by this section: |
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(1) on a periodic basis established by the department; |
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and |
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(2) at other times at the request of the Legislative |
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Budget Board. |
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(g) Not later than December 1, 2014, the department shall: |
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(1) conduct the initial evaluation required under |
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Subsection (d) and implement any changes as required by Subsection |
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(e) resulting from that evaluation; and |
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(2) submit a report to the governor and the |
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Legislative Budget Board summarizing the results of the initial |
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evaluation and explaining any changes that were implemented. |
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(h) This subsection and Subsection (g) expire September 1, |
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2015. |
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Sec. 117.078. FAMILY COST SHARE PROVISION IN EARLY |
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CHILDHOOD INTERVENTION PROGRAM. (a) The department shall |
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consider implementing a family cost share provision under which the |
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amount a family pays to participate in the early childhood |
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intervention program is based on the amount of service the family |
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receives under the program. |
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(b) A family cost share provision implemented by the |
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department under Subsection (a) must establish a maximum amount to |
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be paid by a family participating in the early childhood |
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intervention program that is based on the family's size and |
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adjusted gross income, with families in higher income brackets |
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required to pay more under the provision than those families paid |
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before the provision's implementation. |
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SECTION 2. If before implementing any provision of this Act |
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a state agency determines that a waiver or authorization from a |
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federal agency is necessary for implementation of that provision, |
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the agency affected by the provision shall request the waiver or |
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authorization and may delay implementing that provision until the |
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waiver or authorization is granted. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2013. |
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